Welcome to Gobeekeeping

Beekeeping
is not rocket science. But many approach beekeeping as something
anyone can get involved in. I see some
things happening which are a great concern to me.

"New beekeeper's Failure"

The information I share at this site is free.
No class, no book, no web site is going to make you a
successful beekeeper. One would make you believe that there
is a solution to every problem. Sorry but honey bees die not
because you do not manage them properly, they die because we make
the assumption that they can take care of themselves. We are
destroying our planet and the high death rate of honey bees should be of
concern to us. Concern for the bees?
Or What about concern for mankind?

Go to a bee club meeting and look around the room (Are there young people
full of energy or old guys like me?). If you can not find a club,
use a search engine on your browser for beekeeping organizations -- state or
local bee clubs usually have a web site. Bee meeting and bee events are
happening all over the place. These groups desire to help you
get started. They want to educate people about honey bees because that is
included in most mission statements. Many are great social group.
These are great goals. The problem as I see it is -- many
people join, take classes, attend meetings and after a few years give up trying
to keep bees alive. This large group of people who drop out are
still interested in honey bees but they have come to realize that spending a lot
of money and time doesn't keep bee hives alive for very long. Some would
make you believe the bees died because you did not do this or that.
They may say your bees did not have good queens or good genetics. Or maybe
something is wrong in your management style. As a beekeeper I face
the same issues -- how in the world can I keep going on with keeping bees.
I am buying new packages every year and I am re-queening my hives with good
stock and yet my bees struggle to survive even with all the experience and
knowledge that I have. What can a new beekeeper expect -- not
to face the same problems that I am facing. I will share with you
and try to answer question you have about anything I have learned from the day I
was born into a commercial beekeeping family in 1938 to the present time.
I am concerned about honey bees -- they have been my life and I continue to live
each day to see them fly and forage and make my day a bit brighter.
Dana Stahlman